• Introduction
• Part 1How do I make a complaint?
• Part 2What is a Standards Committee?
• Part 3What complaints does the Standards Committee deal with?
• Part 4How should I set out my complaint?
• Part 5What happens to my complaint – how is it processed and dealt with?
• Part 6What happens after my complaint has been looked at?
• Part 7Withdrawal of complaints
• Part 8Complainant confidentiality
• Part 9Conflicts of interests
• Part 10Retention of records
• Part 11Generally
• Appendix 1Councillor complaints process - public interest
• Appendix 2Assessment criteria

Part 1

How do I make a complaint?

The code of conduct for members is set out in the County Council’s Constitution.

If you believe that a county councillor has breached the code of conduct for members and you would like to make a complaint, you may do so by submitting a complaint in writing to:

Maria Price (Director of Legal and Democratic Services)
Devon County Council
County Hall
Topsham Road
Exeter
EX2 4QD

who will arrange for it to be considered by the Council’s Standards Committee or for any other course of action to be taken, as appropriate.

You may use the official complaint form or simply set out your complaint in a letter.

Complaints may be sent in by post to the above address or by email to members.services@devon.gov.uk.

If you are unable to download a copy of the form, a copy may be sent to you upon request. We can also help if English is not your first language.

If you are unable to make a written complaint we will offer to transpose your complaint onto a complaint form with an accompanying written statement (if required) which you will then be asked to sign or otherwise indicate to the Council’s satisfaction that you wish to make a complaint in those terms.

If you are unwilling to sign the documentation or fail to indicate to the Council’s satisfaction that you wish to make a complaint in those terms it will not take any further action on the complaint unless the monitoring officer is satisfied that the circumstances justify a departure from this position.

If you make a verbal complaint and simply decline to confirm the complaint in writing for reasons which the Council does not consider to be justifiable it will take no further action on the complaint.

The Council does understand that complaints about sensitive personal issues, such as alleged harassment, bullying or victimisation may need to be progressed while preserving the confidentiality or anonymity of the complainant.

Some complaints will fall outside of the scope of this procedure. If that happens the complaints will be forwarded to the relevant officers in the Council the complainant will be advised of this.

Similarly, if your complaint is about a district, unitary or town or parish councillor then you should send it to the relevant district or unitary council – in other words, the council that collects your Council Tax.